Mask



- Jan. l1, 1949. I H. D. FISKETTI Eff/AL I 2,458,580

MAS

Filed April 18, 1945 M A LMZ ENTOR.

Patented Jan. 11, 1949 OFFICE MASK Henry D. Fisketti and Joseph GaetonLenta, Duluth, Minn.

Application April 18, 1945, Serial No. 588,902

1 Claim.

This invention relates to masks such as are used in the medical,surgical, and dental professions for the prevention of contamination andotherwise possible spreading of disease, and relating particularly tosuch a device for the covering of the oral and nasal cavities of thosebeing operated upon as well as the operators and assistants.

The aim of the instant invention is to overcome many of the more or lessdisadvantageous characteristics of the common form ofrectangularlyshaped masks now in universal use, to Wit: inconvenience inapplication to ones face, uncomfortable feeling after being applied,stretching and pulling during positioning on the face, unsanitation oflong, dangling strings, andother minor inferiorities, all of which, itis deemed will be overcome by this invention and apparent as theinvention becomes fully understood.

Other beneficial features will appear, such as the reinforcement ofportions of the mask by the well-known art of stockinet stitching oraddition of same as a binding to predetermined portions of the mask forsuch reinforcement as well as yieldability and absorbent properties.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing forming part of thisapplication, wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts;

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of one of the improved masks and suggestiveof its relative position when in use upon ones face,

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of Fig. 1.

The reference numeral l represents the central impervious body portionof a common mask of this type, though preferably of substantiallyelliptical instead of rectangular form and having a binding upon its twolonger, arcuate sides each composed of a strip of relatively widestockinet as shown at 2, the same providing yieldability or elasticityof such edges to result in most convenient and comfortable form fittingmask.

Furthermore, it is to be noted that the upper and lower edges of themask being decidedly arcuate or arched not only improves the fit of themask to the face but in respect to the upper edge and its pullingdownward and rearward toward the ear and well below the normal downwardline of vision of, say an operator over a patient or creased, and thusthe inconvenience of the common mask materially lessened.

Now another principal novel feature of the instant invention is that ofthe loops or bights 3 of elastic tape or the like for convenientapplication about the wearers ears which results in the masks being soreadily applied or removed as desired, and that, with no tying ofannoying knots or long dangling strings so commonly experienced.

Still another advantageous feature is the absorbent properties of thestockinet borders in respect to the collecting and holding ofperspiration which so often develops under circumstances requiring theuse of a face mask and thus overcoming another disadvantage of thecommon mask as well as augmenting the asepsis of the improved mask.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

A form fitting face mask comprising a central substantially ellipticallyshaped body portion, resilient yieldable binding strips fixed to theupper and lower side portions of said body, and elastic ear-encirclingbight members fixed at each opposite end to its respective end of saidyieldable binding strips whereby to provide yieldability throughout theextreme outer edges of the assembly.

HENRY D. FISKETTI. JOSEPH GAETON LENTA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,007,867 Le Duc July 9, 19352,081,779 Titus May 25, 1937 2,389,102 Williams Nov. 13, 1945 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 7,002 Austria Mar. 28, 1940 134,432 GreatBritain Nov. 6, 1919 853,770 France Mar. 28, 1940

